Dyeing machine



Aug. 15, 1933. J v 1,922,859

DYEING MACHINE Filed Jan. 27, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOP Joseph PorTnoy H TTO/PNE Y Aug. 15, 1933. PQRTNQY 1,922,859

DYEING MACHINE Filed Jan. 27, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 o 37 [5-0. J7 0 la 0 35 {Q1 3 as e 10 IO INVENTOP H T TOPNE) J. PORTNOY DYEING MACHINE Aug. 15, 1933.

Filed Jan. 27, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 WVENTOR Jose oh Porfnoy H TTOENE Y Patented Aug. 15, 1933 PATENT OFFICE DYEING MACHINE Joseph Portnoy,

' Application January 27,

14 Claims.

In the dyeing and bleaching of any stock the following steps are always necessary:

1. Making up the dye-bath to the proper shade, or the bleaching bath to the proper strength;

2. Immersing the article to be dyed, or bleached therein; I

3. Washing and finishing thearticle dyed, or bleached.

It is obvious that if the article or material to.

. no the point where the extra dye is first introduced.

Fabrics near that point will, therefore, take on a deeper shade than those which are farthest away from the point of introduction. This difference will persist even after the dye has been thoroughly mixed in the dye-bath.

It. is also obvious that the longer any article remains in the dye-bath the more injurious it is to the fabric since the continued boiling and treatment tend to weaken the fibres.

In dyeing a batch of goods it often happens that it becomes dark before the batch is properly shaded. In such cases with the ordinarylaundry machine type of dyeing machine now in general use, it is necessary to draw off the dye-liquor when work is stopped and to make up a new dyebath when work is begun again the next morning. Unless one goes to the trouble of taking the partially dyed articles out of the machine it becomes necessary to make up the dye-bath while the articles to be dyed are in the machine. This may resultin the spoiiing of the entire batch be ing dyed, thereby necessitating a re-dyeing, and resulting in the weakening of the fabrics of the material'being dyed. v

Re-dyeing always necessitates a boiling operation. Boiling destroys the life and lustre of fabrics. This applies with especial force to the finer fabrics.

It is forthe purpose of avoiding the difficulties and injurious results arising directly or indirectly from the fact that the material to be dyed is in the dye-bath while the dye-bath is being made up, or while the washing mixture, or the bleaching mixture, is being made up that the machine Philadelphia, Pa.

1928. Serial No. 249,893

,for which Letters Patent are herein applied was invented and designed.

This machine, while it is intended to serve all dyeing needs, is of extra value to the dyer oi fine and sheer fabrics. t has been designed not only for the purpose of obviating the injurious results arising from re-dyeing, long boiling, etc.,v but also those arising from bulk dyeing.

The usual practice of dyeing fine and sheer articles, of which silk hosiery may be cited as an example, is to place a number'of pairs of hose, say, two dozen, into a bag. A number of these bags are then thrown into the dying machine. If the dyeing machine is of the ordinary laundry type in common use, it has four sections. In such cases a comparatively large number of bags are in one compartment. As the dying machine rotates, these bags rub against each other. The mass action or" a number of such bags rubbing against any one of them produces a certain frictional .torce which is harmful to the life of the fabric. This is avoided in the present machine since each batch of two dozen is placed in its own compartment.

Bulk dyeing may also result'in the imperfect assimilation of color by a lot of hose in a bag, or group of bags, which may become lodged in the middle of the batch in the dyeing machine, or in any section thereof. This is avioided by the use of the new multicell machine. The multicell arrangement makes it possible for the fabrics being processed to receive the greatest andmost uniform contact with the processing fluids, chemicals or dyes. 7

Another object of this invention is to construct machine in which it will be possible to automatically remove the material to be dyed from the dye-bath whenever desired.

Another objecet of this invention is to construct a machine in which it will be possible to dye in individual compartments individual units of a batch of articles.

Another object of this invention is to produce a muticell dyeing machine whereby the actual m0 frictional contact of bulk batches of articles to be dyed will be minimized.

These and other objects and advantages of the machine will become more obvious from the following specifications and the drawings thereunto annexed.

In the drawings:

Figure '1 is a perspective view of the machine assembled, showing the multicell carrier raised out of and above the dyeing vat, part of the front no of the dyeing vat being broken away, showing the secondary carrier therein.

Figure 2 is a side view of the multicell machine with the multicell in position inside the vat, parts of the vat being broken away to show the assembly and part of the standard sheathing being removed to show the lifting gearing.

Figure 3 is a side view of the same side as Figure 2 with the multicell carrier raised above and out of the dyeing vat, part of the side vat being cut out to show the secondary carrier therein.

Figure 4 is a top view of the locking device.

Figure 5 is a side view of the same.

Figure 6 is a front view of the same.

Figure '7 is a perspective view of the holder for the individual cells.

Figure 8 is a perspective View of one of the many individual cells.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary front view showing a different type of standard which may be used to carry the individual cells and thei holders.

Figure 10 is a top view of the'multicell machine, with the multicell carrier locked in position within the vat. Parts of the vat and secondary carrier are shown broken away.

Figure 11 is a section on the line 11-11 of Figure 10 showing the locking device for uniting the multicell carrier to the secondary carrier, the portions of the vat, secondary carrier and multicell carrier below the first row of compartments being broken away.

Figure 12 is a section on the line 12-12 of Figure 4.

. Referring more specifically to the drawings, reference numeral 1 designates a dyeing vat which may be of any size or shape, the preferred form being rectangular. Reference numeral 2 designated the secondary carrier. This carrier is rotatably mounted within the vat 1, one end being mounted in a suitable journal box and the other being directly and fixedly attached to a shaft 5, which is mounted in the side of the vat 1. The carrier is adapted for rotation both in a clockwise and counter clockwise direction. A handle 4 is shown here as attached to the shaft 5. This is for the purpose of furnishing power to rotate the secondary carrier 2. For the handle may substituted a belt, one end of which is connected to the shaft 4 and another to a suitable source of power or a series of gears meshing with a gear 4A mounted on shaft 4, the train being connected to asuitable source of power, or the shaft may be driven in any other way that is desired.

The secondary carrier 2 (see Figures 1, 2 and 3) is made up of a series of U shaped transverse braces 8, front and back braces 9 and side Walls 10, the ensemble forming a wire basket. The walls 10 of the secondary carrier have portions of the metal cut out, as shown at 11. This is for the double purpose of lightening the structure and for providing as much opening as possible through which the liquid in the dye-bath will flow and contact with the individual cells which are carried by the secondary carrier. The side walls 10 are provided at their top with slots 12 which cooperate with the lugs 13 on the multicell carrier 3 to form a locking device which locks the multicell carrier within the secondary carrier.

The multicell carrier (see Figures 1, 2 and 3) is made up of series of transverse bars 14 joined to a series of upright bars 15, braced on the ends with the bars 16, the ensemble forming a series of shelves 17 which are divided by the upright bars into a series of individual compartments 18.

One cell holder 19 (see Figure 7) is adapted to fit into each individual compartment 18. The back of the cell carrier 19 ends in a small upright wall 20, while the front end has a metal piece 21 bent downward. The wall 20 limits the motion of the individual cell 22 and serves to retain the same within the holder; the part 21 by contact with the bar 14 serves to limit the motion of the indvidual cell holder in the individual compartment.

The individual cell holders have a metal piece 22A running the entire length on each side.

Parallel to the part 22-A and below it there is a piece 23 which also runs the entire length of the carrier. The part 22 combines with the lower piece 23 to serve as a guide, runway and retaining element, the portions 22 and 23 cooperating with the lugs 24 on the individual cells 22 to retain the cells within the holders.

The individual cells 22 are boxes as shown, having removable covers and a plurality of perforations or openings therein. The openings are provided for the purpose of giving the dye-liquor an opportunity to come into contact with the material to be dyed.

Instead of combining a series of bars 14 with the uprights 15 to make the individual compartments i8 angles 25 may be mounted on the bars 15, as shown in Figure 9, the angles serving as runways for the individual cell holders.

The top of the multicell carrier has suitably mounted thereon two spaced guide members 26 (see Figures 1, l0 and 11). Fixedly attached to the outside of each of the guide members 26 is a spring 2'? the other end of which is attached to an upright lug 13-A which forms the insideend of the lug 13. The lug 13 has slots 29 cut therein. Rivets 48 pass throughthe slots 29 and are securely fastened to the bar 14 of the multicell carrier. The head 48-A of the rivet 48 is wider than the slot 29. The rivet 48 combines with the slot 29 to form a means whereby the lug 13 is slidable along the top of the multicell carrier, the rivet 48 serving as a guide and retaining means for the lug 13. The springs 2'7, the lugs 13 and the slots 12, combine to form the mechanism which looks the multicell carrier to the secondary carrier.

Attached to the rear of the vat 1 or somewhere close thereto there is provided standards '7 in which is journaled a shaft 29, carrying gears 30 which mesh with a ratchet mechanism 31 slidably mounted in the standards 7. The shaft 29 ends in a handle 32 which serves as a source of power. Any other source of power desired may be substituted for the handle 32.

The ratchet mechanisms 31 have attached thereto crossheads 33. The crossheads 33 have attached thereto a plate 34, brackets 35 and a bracing plate 36.

The brackets 35 carry rollers which combine with the cam-shaped lugs 13A to form a mechanism which opens the locking device, serving to lock together the multicell carrier with the secondary carrier.

The plate 34 carries the mechanism which serves to cooperate with holes 37 in the guide members 26 on the multicell carrier 3 and lock the multicell carrier to the standards 33.

The locking device is made up of member 38 rotatably mounted on the plate 34 by means of a pin 39. The member 38 ends in a handle portion 40. The member 38 has two cam slots 41, in which pins 42 are movably mounted.

The pins 42 (see Figures 6 and 12) are conneoted to bars or arms 43 which are slidably mounted under the bar 34 and held in position 'r1, a22;s59 by the guide pins 44, adapted to slide in. slot 45 in theiba'r 34.

@The bar or arm "43 ends in awing 46fwhioh carriestwospins 47. These pins are adaptedto mesh swith fholes.=37A in standards 33 and holes The 1 operation :of the device is as follows:

We start with thevat l empty andthe carrier 3 :in the uprightxpositionshown in Figure 1.

=Water is fed'into'thevat l by means of pipe This may be heated-"to any temperature desired by introducing steam "-throughpipe B. The

'li'quer in the vat is now prepared for the purpose needed by adding the necessary softeners, dye in the amount required, etc. The entire mass is thoroughly agitated by operating 'the secondary carrier 2,-which thus serves as a mixer during this operation.

.In-the'meantime, the stock to'be dyed has been prepared. Eachsm'all batch has been put in cotton i nets and these into the individual cells 22 or each batch has been-put directly into the individual cells. The-cells have vbeen mounted in the individualcarriers 19. These are now loaded into'the multicell carrier 3. If the multicell carrier istoo high-it may alwaysbe lowered to the height desired byoperating the raising and lowering'mechanism '7, 31, 32 and associated parts. -When the individual carriers desired have all been mounted in the multicell carrier, the multicell carrier is lowered into the vat by operating the handle 32 in theproper direction. This actuates the ratchetmechanism -31 through contact with the gear 30. A-suitable pawl is provided to lock the mechanism in place.

'Ihe multicell carrier assumes the position within the secondary carrier 2 shown in Figure 2. Moving the handle 40 of the locking device 38 in acounter-clockwise direction serves to pull the plate '34.

"As the plate 34 is raised the rollers 49'slide along the cam "surfaces of the'lug 13A. While this'is occurring the spring 27 exerts pressure on the reverse side of the cam surfaces 13-A, thus pushing'the slides 13 into the slots 12. This serves to lock themulticell carrier to the secondary car- "rier. Power is now applied to the shaft 5 and the secondary carrier with its burden is rotated for'the period desired and until the fabric has 'assumedthe proper shade. 'It is then stopped "and the'lifting mechanism 33 is lowered by a proper manipulation of the handle 32.

The steps previously described are now reversed as the plate 34 descends the surfaces of the rollers '49 first come in contact with the cam surfaces of theslides 13-A. On further descent of the standards 33 the rollers 49 sliding along the cam surfaces l3-A'exert a-pressure which tends to pull in the slides 13 and pull them out of the slotsl2,this unlocking the multicell carrier from the secondary carrier. When the multicell carrierreaches the position shown in Figure 2, the handle 40 is now pushed in clockwise direction which "exerts a pressure on the pins 147 forcing them into the holes 37 and 3'7A, thus locking thelifting device to the multicellcarrier. The handle 32 of the lifting device is operated in a proper'direction, this lifting the entire multicell carrier out of the dye vat.

"The dye-liquid is now run out of the vat 1. Water for cleaning purposes 'is run in and warmed to the proper temperature. The multicell carried is immersed and more water-is sent "through the wit until the stock has been properly cleaned.-

The multicell carrier is nowagain lifted-outof the vat and unloaded.

If night should happen to fall while a batoh is being dyed all that is necessary withthe machineherein described is to lift the multicell carrier out of the vat 1, :let it remain that way over-night, leave the dye-liquid in the vat-and startthe next morning where work was left-the night before by merely lowering the stock into the dye-mixture. A quadruple advantage is thus obtained:

a. Saving of dye mixture,

"b. 'Assiuing oneself of the proper shades and c. The saving of time; and V d. The obviation of any possibility or necessity of redyeing and the concomitant boiling treatment so injurious to the life of the fabric.

Bymeans of this machine it is alsopossible to Warm the rinsing water by means of steam without inserting the material -to be dyed in the water before the water has been raised to the proper temperature. This is of particular advantage in dye-houses usingthe ordinary washing machinetype of dyeing machinebut which does not have a hotwater line.

In' such cases cold water is first run into the machine. This congeals the'free and loosened gum which may have remained over in the liquid causing pasty pellets and other impurities to stick to the material'to be dyed, thus smearing the fabric.

'The only way to remove these spots is to boil the stock again in soap or some other solution to wash away the impurities. This continued boiling destroys the life and lustre of the fibre.

Where sheer fabrics such as silk textures and silk hosiery are being dyed, dyeing by this particular machine and process will not only reduce the amount of damage and of waste, but will also increase the life'of the garment or article dyed.

The above disclosure is by the way of illustra-- tion only and not by the way of limitation since many changes may be made in the specific structure of any element or group of elements without departing from the spirit of my invention. For instance, the shape of the vat 1 may be changed, this-would in turn aifect the shapes of elements 2 and 3. Or, the secondary carrier may be entirely eliminated, suitable locking devices being in such 'a-case provided to keep the individual cells and their holders locked in the multicell carrier.

the holders for the individualcells may be eliminated; or the locking mechanism may be changed; or the lifting mechanism may be changed; or any combination of these elements may be changed without changing the device in principle and operation.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and useful is:

1. A dyeing machine consisting of a vat, a carrier rotatably mounted in said vat, a multicell carrier mounted for movement into and out of operative relation with the said first carrier, a holder removably carried by the said multicell carrier and individual containers carried by the said holder, the said individual containers adapted to hold the material to be dyed.

2. A dyeing machine consisting of a vat, a carrier rotatably mounted in said vat, a multicell carriermounted for movement'into and out of operative relationship with the said'first'carrier,

a locking device carried by the said multicell carrier and a lifting means for the said multicell carrier mounted in operative relationship to the said multicell carrier, the said lifting means consisting of a standard, a rack carried by the said standard, a shaft carried by the said standard, a gear carried by the said shaft, the said gear meshing with the said rack, an arm carried by the said rack, a locking device carriedby the said arm, the said locking device cooperating with the said locking device on the said multicell carrier to lock the multicell carrier to the lifting means.

3. A dyeing machine consisting of avat, a carrier rotatably mounted in said vat, openings in the ends of said carrier, a multicell carrier movable into and out of operative relationship with the said carrier, locking means'carried by the said multicell carrier, the said locking means consisting of a lug, a spring attached to the said lug, secondary locking means carried by the said multicell carrier, the said secondary locking means consisting of a bar and openings in said bar, means for lifting and lowering the said multicell carrier into and out of operative relationship with the said first carrier, the said lifting means consisting of standards, a rack carried by each of said standards, a shaft carried by the said standards, gears carried by the said shaft, the said gears operatively connected with the said racks whereby the racks may be raised and lowered, an carried by each of said racks, locking means carried by each of the said arms the said locking means consisting of a bracket and a roller carried by the said bracket, the said looking means placed in operative relationship with the said first locking means on the multicell carrier and cooperating with the'said first lockingmeans on the said multicell carrier to lock and unlock the said multicell carrier to the said first carrier, a second set of locking means carried by the said arms, the said locking means consisting of a plate, means for actuating said plate, cam slots on said plate, pins movably mounted within the said cam slots, arms operatively connected to the said pins, the said second set of locking means cooperating with the said second set of locking means on the said multicell carrier to lock the said arms to the said multicell carrier. 7

4. In a dyeing machine consisting of a vat, a carrier rotatably mounted in said vat, a multicell carrier mounted for movement into and out of operative relation with the said first carrier and lifting means for lifting and lowering the said multicell carrier means for locking the said multicell carrier to the said lifting means, the said locking means consisting of a male member and female member, the said male member consisting of a plate, means for actuating said plate, a cam slot in said plate, means movably mounted within said cam slot, and an arm operatively connected to said means, the said female member consisting of a bar and a slot in said bar, the said slot adapted to receive the said arm on the said male member.

. 5. In a dyeing machine consisting of a vat, a carrier rotatably mounted in said vat, a multicell carrier mounted for movement into and out of operative relation with the said first carrier and lifting means for lifting and lowering the said multicell carrier means for locking the said multicell carrier to the said lifting means, the said locking means consisting of a male member and a female member, one carried by the said lifting means and the other carried by the said multicell carrier, the said male member consisting of a plate, means for actuating said plate, cam slots in the said plate, pins movably mounted within said cam slots and cams operatively connected to the said pins, the said female member consisting of bars, and a slot in each of said bars, the said slot adapted to receive the said arms on said male members.

6. A locking device consisting of a male member, a female member and a third member, the said male member consisting of a lug operatively positioned to enter a cooperating slot formed in said female member a cam surface on said lug and a spring attached to said lug; the said female member consisting of a bar having a slot formed therein for receiving the said lug carried by the said male member, the said third member consisting of an arm, the said arm adapted to contact with said cam surface and actuate the said lug, means for raising and lower ing the said arm into and out of operative rela- 1 the male member; the said male member consisting of a lug operatively positioned to enter a cooperating slot formed in the said female member, a cam surface carried by the said lug and a spring attached to the said lug for imparting positive movement to the said lug, the said female member consisting of a bar having a slot formed therein for receiving the said lug; the said third member consisting of an arm mounted for vertical movement with respect to the said lug, the said arm adapted to contact with the said cam surface and actuate the said lug in a direction opposite to that in which the said lug is actuated by the said spring.

3. A locking device consisting of a male member, a female member and a third member mounted for vertical movement with respect to the male member; the said male member consisting of a plurality of lugs operatively positioned to enter cooperating slots formed in the said female member, a cam surface carried by each said lug and a spring operatively attached to each said lug for imparting positive movement to each said lug; the said female member consisting of a plurality of bars having slots formed therein for receiving the said lugs; the said third member consisting of a plurality of arms mounted for vertical movement with respect to the said lugs, each said arm adapted to contact with a cam surface on one of said lugs and actuate the said lug in a direction opposite to that in which said lug is actuated by said spring.

9. A locking device consisting of a male member, a female member and a third member mounted for vertical movement with respect to the male member; the said male member consisting of a lug operatively positioned to enter a cooperating slot formed in the said female member, one of the ends of the said lug terminating in a bar substantially at right angles to the lug, a cam surface formed on the said bar and a spring attached to the said bar for imparting positive movement to the said lug; the said female member consisting of a bar having a slot formed therein for receiving the said lug; the said third member consisting of an arm mounted for vertical movement with respect to the said bar, the said arm adapted to contact with the said cam surface and actuate the said lug in a direction opposite to which the said lug is actuated by the said spring.

10. A locking device consisting of a male memher, a female member and a third member mounted for vertical movement with respect to the male member; the said male member consisting of a plurality of lugs operatively positioned to enter cooperating slots formed in the said female member, one of the ends of each of the said lugs te minating in a bar substantiaily at right angles to the said lug, a cam surface formed on each said bar and a spring attached to each said bar for imparting positive movement to each said lug; the said female member consisting of a plurality of bars having slots formed for receiving the said lugs; the said third member consisting of a plurality of arms mounted for vertical movement with respect to the said bar, each said arm adapted to contact with each said cam surface and actuate the said lug in a direction opposite to that in which the said lug is actuated by the said spring.

11. A dyeing machine consisting of a vat; a carrier rotatably mounted in. said vat; a multicell carrier mounted for movement into and out of operative relationship with the first said carrier; lifting means for the said niulticell carrier mounted in operative relationship with the said multicell carrier; and a locking member for looking the said multicell carrier to the lifting means,-a portion of the said locking member being carried by the said multicell carrier and a cooperating portion of the said locking member being carried by the said lifting member.

A dyeing machine consisting of a vat; a carrier rotatably mounted in said vat; a multicell carrier mounted for movement into and out of operative relationship With the first said carrier; lifting means for the said multicell carrierthe said lifting means consisting of standards, a rack carried by each of said standards, a shaft carried by the said standards, gears operatively connected with the said rack carried by the said shaft for raising and lowering the said racks, and an arm carried by each rack; and locking means for locking the said multicell' carrier to s id lifting means,--a portion of the said locking means being carried by the said multiceil carrier and the cooperating portion of the said locking means carried by said arms.

13. A dyeing machine consisting of a vat; a carrier rotatably mounted in the said vat; a multicell car mounted for movement into and out of operative relationship with the first said carrier; locking means for locking the said multicell carrier to the first said carrier,-a portion or the said i ng means being formed on the said car or and the cooperating portion of the locking means being formed on the said inulticell carrier; lifting means for lifting and lowering the said multicell carrier into and out of operative relationship with the first said standards, a rack carried by each of said stand- I ards, a t adapted to be connected to a source of power carried by the said standards, gears operatively connected with the said rack carried by the said shaft whereby the rack may be raised and lowered and arm carried by each rack; nd locking means for locking the said multicell carrier to the said lifting nieans,-a portion of t e said. lockin means being carried by the said ticeil carrier and the cooperating portion of the locking means being carried by the said arms.

1a. A dyeing machine consisting of a vat; a carrier rotatably mounted in the said vat; a rnulticell carrier mounted for movement into and out oi operative relationship with the first said locking means for locking the multicell to the iir t said carrier,-a portion of the locking means being carried by the first said carrier and the cooperating portion of the said locking means being carried by the said lnulticell carrier; lifting means for the said multicell carrier; and locking means for locking the 

